Electric vehicle

Abstract

An electric control system for an electric vehicle operable in a plurality of modes. The control system includes an electric motor having a plurality of motor coils, an energy storage device providing energy to the electric control system, transistor modules selectively coupling the electric motor to the energy storage device, a connector selectively coupling to an AC power source, a controllable switching device configured to selectively couple the connector to the electric motor; and a microcontroller controlling the switching device to couple the connector to at least one of the motor coils during a detected charging mode, and control one or more of the plurality of transistor modules to couple the motor coil to the energy storage device during the detected charging mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electric control system for an electric vehicle configured to operate in a plurality of modes, the control system comprising:
 a multi-phase electric motor having a plurality of motor coils; 
 an energy storage device configured to provide energy to the electric control system; 
 a plurality of transistor modules selectively coupling the electric motor to the energy storage device; 
 a connector configured to selectively couple to an AC power source; 
 a controllable switching device configured to selectively couple the connector to the multi-phase electric motor; 
 a microcontroller configured to control the switching device to selectively couple the connector to at least one of the motor coils during a detected charging mode, and control one or more of the plurality of transistor modules to selectively couple the at least one motor coil to the energy storage device during the detected charging mode; and 
 a pair of relays selectively coupling the connector to the energy storage device, wherein the microcontroller controls at least one of the relays to connect the connector to a midpoint halfway between a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the energy storage device. 
 
     
     
       2. The electric control system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first sensor configured to measure a voltage of the energy storage device during the detected charging mode and a second sensor configured to measure a voltage of electricity received via the connector, wherein the microcontroller is configured to control the switching device and at least one of the plurality of transistor modules in a first configuration when a measured voltage of the energy storage device is higher than a measured voltage received via the connector; and
 in a second configuration when a measured voltage of the energy storage device is less than a measured voltage received via the connector. 
 
     
     
       3. The electric control system of  claim 2 , wherein the controllable switching device is a buck switch configured to operate in a power factor correction mode in the first configuration, and
 wherein at least one of the transistor modules operates as a free-run diode during in the first configuration. 
 
     
     
       4. The electric control system of  claim 3 , wherein the microcontroller applies pulse width modulation to the buck switch in the second configuration, and
 wherein each of the plurality of transistor modules operates in an off-mode in the second configuration. 
 
     
     
       5. The electric control system of  claim 2 , wherein the controllable switching device is a buck switch configured to be driven by pulse width modulation applied by the microcontroller in the second configuration, and
 wherein each of the plurality of transistor modules operates in an off-mode in the second configuration. 
 
     
     
       6. The electric control system of  claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to control the relays to provide energy from the energy storage device to the connector and transmit power to a power grid during a power supply mode. 
     
     
       7. The electric control system of  claim 1 , wherein a charging operation is performed without a DC-LINK capacitor. 
     
     
       8. An electric vehicle comprising:
 a drive train comprising at least one wheel; 
 a multi-phase electric motor having a plurality of motor coils coupled to the drive train to provide a torque to the at least one wheel; and 
 an electrical control system configured to operate in a plurality of modes, the control system comprising:
 an energy storage device configured to provide energy to the electric control system; 
 a plurality of transistor modules selectively coupling the electric motor to the energy storage device; 
 a connector configured to selectively couple to an AC power source; 
 a controllable switching device configured to selectively couple the connector to the multi-phase electric motor; 
 a microcontroller configured to control the switching device to selectively couple the connector to at least one of the motor coils during a detected charging mode, and control one or more of the plurality of transistor modules to selectively couple the at least one motor coil to the energy storage device during the detected charging mode; and 
 a pair of relays selectively coupling the connector to the energy storage device, wherein the microcontroller controls at least one of the relays to connect the connector to a midpoint halfway between a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the energy storage device. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The electric vehicle of  claim 8 , further comprising a first sensor configured to measure a voltage of the energy storage device during the detected charging mode and a second sensor configured to measure a voltage of electricity received via the connector, wherein the microcontroller is configured to control the switching device and at least one of the plurality of transistor modules in a first configuration when a measured voltage of the energy storage device is higher than a measured voltage received via the connector; and
 in a second configuration when a measured voltage of the energy storage device is less than a measured voltage received via the connector. 
 
     
     
       10. The electric vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the controllable switching device is a buck switch configured to operate in a power factor correction mode in the first configuration, and
 wherein at least one of the transistor modules operates as a free-run diode during in the first configuration. 
 
     
     
       11. The electric vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the microcontroller applies pulse width modulation to the buck switch in the second configuration, and
 wherein each of the plurality of transistor modules operates in an off-mode in the second configuration. 
 
     
     
       12. The electric vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the controllable switching device is a buck switch configured to be driven by pulse width modulation applied by the microcontroller in the second configuration, and
 wherein each of the plurality of transistor modules operates in an off-mode in the second configuration. 
 
     
     
       13. The electric vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to control the relays to provide energy from the energy storage device to the connector and transmit power to a power grid during a power supply mode.